Does the masterplan and recent funding announcement include wages for more gardeners? There is no point having new infrastructure if the plants and garden beds cannot be maintained to a decent standard by the small number of gardeners employed. The plants are the most important part of the Botanic Gardens. It's sad to see so many weeds in the gardens at the moment, and lots of plants without identification labels.

I generally agree with the proposed enhancements to the Adelaide Botanic Garden as long as it does "enhance" everyone's experience and doesn't become too congested and commercial thereby changing the experience of being a world away in the heart of the city and it's current inherent charm. My daughter and I frequently visit the Botanic Gardens and we wouldn't want to see it become overly commercial.

I like the idea to reuse of the historic Francis Arbour to create a new entrance hub between Lot Fourteen and Adelaide Botanic Garden and the
creation of a commercial shop at the entrance between Lot Fourteen and Adelaide Botanic Garden and upgrades to enhance the main North Terrace entrance, whilst maintaining its heritage value. I understand for financial reasons the need to connect with the Lot Fourteen precinct and it's good to keep it at one end of the Botanic Gardens, however, I hope the rest of the Botanic Gardens stays primarily as it is. If the construction of a new visitor, science, education and collections centre is done in the exiting footprint and done well it could be great.

Water and Waterway Management is always a good thing and implementation of sustainably way to manage the lake and waterways in the long-term is critical and commissioning of the First Creek wetland aquifer storage and recovery system, to enable the gardens to be more water supply self-sufficient is essential. Adelaide is getting hotter and dryer and this is very important to the Botanic Gardens survival.

I love the idea of revitalisation of the plant collections. The fern house urgently needs an upgrade as does the Bicentennial Conservatory which I'm sorry to say, in my opinion is currently a white elephant and needs to have a lot of work done on it including reinstating of it's heating. I understand it's very costly to do so but in it's current state it detracts from the beautiful gardens and nearby rose garden. The rose garden could do with some more seating and shelters please.

Also upgrading the public toilets and other amenities is long overdue. The kiosk toilets in particular are in a terrible state, old, unclean and we've seen dead rats there. They need to have no door entries and be designed with Covid-19 safety and cleanliness as a matter or urgency.

I don't understand the need for a new teaching glasshouse, perhaps the monies would be better spent on upgrading the kiosk and employing more staff - the queues are long and the front area could be extended so you have two counters serving and a bigger access area. No problems with the food or staff they're great but the facilities need to better cater for the increase in demand.

The raised boardwalk through the Ficus Avenue to improve accessibility of the 150-year-old Moreton Bay Fig trees is a good thing if it does improves longevity but visually it won't be as nice. Re-instating the bridge that spanned over Main Lake, reconnecting main walk from north to south is wonderful.

I also like the idea of more botanical and cultural collections storytelling and interpretation.

I did read the Adelaide Botanic Garden and Botanic Park will receive $9.2 million to:
Increase accessibility for visitors and upgrade public amenities
Boost night lighting and security, allowing for more exciting after-dark events throughout the year
Implement critical building works to the heritage-listed Tram Barn A, safeguarding the state’s scientific plant collections
Complete the roof replacement of the heritage-listed Goodman Building
Upgrade irrigation and utilities in Botanic Park to enable world-class events and activities to continue for the enjoyment of local, national and international visitors.

I live locally and have often wondered why there is not a walkway bridge that enables pedestrians/cyclists to cross Hackney Road near the entrance of Plane tree drive. This would improve the safety of people who need to park in surrounding suburbs to access Botanic Gardens and Botanic Park. If I want to visit the Botanic gardens, I either run the risk of the dodging traffic on Hackney Road or have to walk up to North Terrace/Hackney Road intersection or walk down to Bundeys Road. Improving accessibility is something that needs to be considered, especially when we have so many Botanic Park events, there are people crossing that road all the time unsafely.

Bicentennial Conservatory needs to have heating reinstated or replaced with a more efficient system. It is a world class structure with a third rate interior. And most importantly it needs staff to look after the plant collections. It is currently overrun with weedy species. Most of the current collection was planted for a warm tropical environment a lot of which are struggling or have died out and been replaced with weedy species. It should have the heat turned back on and the plant collection replaced or, if the heat is to remain off, the plant collection totally overhauled as it cannot be the Asian rainforest that it was originally planted as. If the plantings are reconsidered it would be good to get back the links to local garden societies that were lost when the Schomburg Range was destroyed. It would also be good to reinstate the cooperation with the zoo to have back animals in the Conservatory to assist in pest control as there were in the past.
Amazon Waterlilly Pavillion. This 4 million dollar glass box still does not grow plants! It has whitewash and film on the glass (sacrilegious) and no humidity control. Note that the only plants without burnt leaves in the main pond area are Fittonias as they hug the ground and the little bit of humidity left at that level. There were shade options in the original plans for the glasshouse that have not been implemented and there are options for humidity control that will enhance the growth of plants.
A.M. Simpson Shadehouse. The plantings in this Shadehouse have not changed in over 40 years!. Yes the structure needs some work but the actual plantings need more work. Again there are local plant societies who would be more than happy to assist in updating the plantings. But the main thing the Botanic Gardens needs is more GARDENING STAFF.

I’ve read the draft plan-and people’s comments here with great interest. While a boardwalk for improved access under the figs is a bonus I agree that the wonderful buttress roots will no longer be visible or appreciated- how wide is the proposed boardwalk? Is it somehow possible to provide one for those that need it while leaving a section so the roots can still be viewed and walked through?
As an aside to the plans and review, on a recent visit to show the younger family members the wisteria arbours we noticed a small plaque that used to acknowledge our GGGgrandfather’s (3rd director Maurice Holtze) planting of the arbour was no longer in place but rather acknowledged the company that funded the restoration was in its place. While I acknowledge it’s not possible to recognise every directors ‘plantings’ across the garden we had hoped this major feature would have been. It was a pity not to be able to show the kids this-sometimes oral history just isn’t enough. Thanks.

The raised board walk through the Moreton Bay figs looks like rat heaven to me.
It also represents a loss of the heritage / nostalgic ground level path.
I second Sandy Wilkinson's comment that it may also remove ground level appreciation of the glorious buttress roots.
I am in no way convinced that this structure is necessary to extend the lifespan of the trees, as is asserted in the draft document.
However, love the straight path from North Terrace, over the lake, and down the Avenue.

Returning the section of land taken in the 1960's for re establishment by the Botanic Gardens team. Government funding should always be sufficient to enable the Botanic Gardens staff to keep the Gardens and facilities in peak condition and a major attraction for locals and visitors to enjoy. Please do not starve this valuable asset of funds and try to gradually push it towards having to operate like a business for profit. Think about the longer term value in it's role as a peaceful reflective place and as a part of what attracts tourists with money to spend to our cultural precinct.

I hope you are going to provide a useful-sized visitor information centre instead of squishing us into a corner of Diggers shop where we boil in summer and freeze in winter, and short volunteers have to perch uncomfortably on a swivel chair as the display bench is so high.
And where will you put it ? There are 5 entrances to the garden and the North Terrace and Plane Tree Drive are the ones most used, and if it goes near either of those half the visitors will miss it. Somewhere near the centre would be most useful, and well signed please. Maybe the lawn to the west of the Moreton Bay figs ?

The land that was promised to be returned to the Botanic Gardens should be fulfilled. Make the rose garden more visitor friendly, with the addition of more shaded seats. Currently, most of the seats are in direct sunlight which makes the areas unfriendly to disabled individuals as well as the aged and families. Covering the open pergola along the side of the old tram building, would encourage more people to use this section of the gardens and would provide an opportunity to hire out the Rose Gardens for Weddings and Celebrations. The addition of water stations throughout the gardens would encourage people to stay longer and truly enjoy the wonderful experience. Adding a citrus orchard, highlighting the importance of the citrus production to the growth of SA would be a wonderful addition to the gardens. No accommodation on Lot 14 or residential should be enforced, the gardens are for all of the people of SA to enjoy, not just for the rich. We definitely have enough hotels and international student accommodation without including that on Lot 14. The Botanic Gardens of Adelaide could be the showpiece of the state not the forgotten end of North Terrace, if it once again had a prominent presence on North Terrace instead of being hidden behind the enormous monstrosities being proposed for Lot 14.

When John Hill of the then Labour government first discussed the relocation of the RAH he advised that portion of the old RAH would be returned to Parklands.
A hundred feet of land was taken from the Botanic Garden in the 1960's to enable the construction of the East Wing which has recently been demolished.
Surely with the relocation of the RAH to the Parklands site where it is now, at least this 100 foot wide section of land could be given back to the Botanic Gardens.
The only other feedback I have is that the raised boardwalk through the avenue of Morton Bay figs might actually conceal the appreciation of the buttress roots of these trees, which is their most notable feature in my view. The at grade gravel path with better uplighting of these trees is all that is needed.